1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a composition for oral administration comprised of a neocarzinostatin derivative (hereinafter abbreviated as SMANCS) having styrene-maleic acid copolymeric residue(s).
2. Related Art Statement
SMANCS is a derivative of neocarzinostatin (hereinafter abbreviated as NCS) is a proteinaceous anticancer substance, wherein carbonyl groups of a styrene-maleic acid copolymer (hereinafter abbreviated as SMA) are bonded to two primary amino groups existent in the molecule of NCS through an acid amide. That is, it is a cancerocidal substance having a reduced toxicity and improved pharmacological properties as compared with those of NCS.
It is considered that SMANCS cannot be orally administered because it is decomposed gastrically and intestinally by digestive juice which is likewise composed of high molecular weight biogenic peptides and proteins, and is poorly absorbed. For this end, therefore, SMANCS is generally administered by an injection. In the latter case, however, pain is unavoidable to patients and self administration is impossible. Furthermore, for daily injections, patients need to be hospitalized, and this situation results in greater treatment expense. Therefore, a great demand exists to develop a SMANCS composition for oral administration.
Heretofore, it has been attempted to provide such a preparation of biogenic peptide for oral administration, see for instance, Japanese laid open Patent Application No. 61-93,129 which discloses an orally administering preparation comprising a lipotropic medium such as mineral oil or the like and a gastrocolic absorption accelerator such as sodium salicylate or the like). On the other hand, since SMANCS is obtained by bonding SMA as a polymer to NCS as a high molecular weight biogenic peptide, as previously mentioned, it is a very special cancerocidal substance possessing properties of a peptide and properties of a polymer, so that the preparation for oral administration attempted in the biogenic peptide cannot be applied to SMANCS as it is. Actually, the inventors have tried to prepare SMANCS with an oily substance, such as fatty acid, fatty acid alkyl ester, cholesterol, mineral oil or the like for oral administration, but this attempt was yet unsuccessful.